Jeff Simon: A life haunted by Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’

Jeff Simon: A life haunted by Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’

My life changed forever on May 28, 1958. It was a Wednesday. That was the day of the week that movies opened back then. That was the date that Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” premiered in America. This Wednesday, part of its exceptional Hitchcock series, Turner Classic Movies will show a visually optimal version of “Vertigo” at 8 p.m. I was in the opening day line for the film at Buffalo’s late-lamented Paramount Theater, which used to be located next door to the Shea’s Buffalo. I’m a little abashed to admit now that I wasn’t drawn to the film as much by Hitchcock’s name as I was by the genius of Saul Bass. The ad campaign in Life magazine began with Bass’ tantalizing graphic artwork in bold aggressive red with neither the name of the film nor the cast. By the time later that Bass’ ads finally started appearing with the film’s title I was hooked. I was 13, a perfect age to be manipulated by advertising genius.